Viktor's Past
by Sushibear144
Summary: Licht meets a girl at work that turns out to be the daughter of someone Viktor knew during a different lifetime.
1. chapter 1

"Hey Licht, you have a guest on table 4."

It had been a slow day at the café so Licht had been going through the pantry taking inventory. He was happy there was a customer in his section. He much preferred waiting tables to the drudgery of 'back of the house' work. He grabbed an apron and note pad and sauntered over to table 4. "Hello Miss, may I take your order?"

He said it oozing with charm which was alarming because he had really not taken any time to view the patron. He was just good at his job. He made everyone feel special. He could fake interest without actually making any meaningful contact.

"Do you prefer the spiced or the vanilla chai," the young lady seated at the table queried.

The voice drew his attention. It was clear and beautiful. He looked up and took in the sight before him for the first time. There sat a young teenager about his age. She had obviously been shopping as evidenced by the numerous bags that surrounded her seat. She was well dressed, but not in terribly expensive or elaborate clothes. Rather, her clothes showed skilled craftsmanship, were well tailored and had the sophistication of simplicity. Her hair was worn up in a loose bun but, presumably because of her day's excursion, a few arrant tresses had fallen out of the bun and spun themselves around in loose ringlets surrounding her smooth pale face. Her features were delicate, with the exception of her eyes which were currently downward cast. All Licht could see of her eyes were the carpet of lashes that arched in a long sweeping pattern away from her upper eye lid. She was mesmerizing.

"Vanilla. I prefer vanilla." He said. He'd taken a second to respond which was not like him in the least. He was a smooth talker. At the tender age of 14, he had already mastered the art of seduction. Of course, he hadn't done anything untoward. He was a gentleman and a royal. Rather, he had mastered the ability to captivate the hearts of anyone simply through the words that slipped from his silver tongue and his carefully planned gazes. His mother was quite concerned this skill would land him in trouble within the next few years.

"I'll have a vanilla chai then if you would please," she smiled up at him, grateful for this brief rest after a weary day of shopping.

As her gaze lifted, he was caught off guard by the deep blue orbs that looked back at him. The deep blue eyes set against the raven locks was a striking combination. He was speechless. He bowed his head and returned to the kitchen.

Licht had been betrothed since the age of two. He was a royal and with this privilege, came a responsibility. He had been permitted to work at this part-time job because he understood his place and would fulfill his royal obligations diligently and without compromise. He turned to his co-worker. "Hans," he asked, "can we switch tables? You can take table 4 and I'll look after table 17?"

Hans laughter. A family of four sat at table 17 and they were currently eating dessert. It had been a slow day and he needed that tip. No, he'd earned that tip. "Sorry," Hans replied, "no can do."

Licht sighed. He made the vanilla chai and carried it back to her table. Licht could see out the window and watched as one of the servant's carriages from the castle pull up outside the café. His father climbed out. He was dressed as a commoner and had been careful to ensure that nothing in his own appearance or in the appearance of their transportation would give away any indication of their social standing. He had simply wanted to pick up his son from work.

Victor had been 14 himself once and he had known how difficult the confines of royalty could be at that age. If Licht could pretend, even for only brief periods of time, that his life was normal, it would help him maintain his sanity. In truth, Victor needed that escape himself at times and he appreciated moments like this that allowed him to share in the fantasy.

Victor sauntered through the front door with the exact same easy walk his son possessed. Of all of his children, Victor found that physically, he shared the most in common with Licht. Victor could see his son was busy with a customer, so he smiled and took a seat in his son's section.

After Licht had taken the girl's food order, he walked by his father's table, gave him a nod in acknowledgment, and sent his father a look that made it clear he would finish up promptly and be ready to head home. While he waited, Victor leaned back in his chair and surveyed the small café. It wasn't nearly as busy as normal. That would mean it wouldn't take Licht long to finish up here. Maybe they would have sufficient time to take in one of the sites of the city. He looked over at the table that Licht had just left. He stopped, paralyzed. It was as though his soul has been plucked from his body and now stood frozen in time. That customer, that girl, looked exactly like a woman he had met a very long time ago.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When Licht reached the back of the café he told his boss that his father had come pick him up from work. He asked if another waiter could finish taking care of the one patron in his dinning section so he might end his shift early. His boss knew it had been a slow day and Licht seldom asked for favors. He willingly agreed to the request. Licht put away his apron and felt a sense of relief knowing he would escape from the pretty girl before he did or said something to her that might later get him in trouble. He threw on his jacket, clocked out and returned to the table at which his father was waiting.

"We can go now," he said without sitting down.

His father said nothing. Licht looked at his father to ascertain why he had not moved. He found that the King was staring with mouth agape at the beautiful girl Licht had just served. Licht nudged his father. It was clearly rude to stare and to stare at a stranger young enough to be your own child was simply lecherous. It was completely out of character and unacceptable. "Father!" he said sharply but discretely.

Viktor looked up. He'd been plucked back into the present. He felt rather embarrassed and wondered if his son had misunderstood his actions. "Yes, of course," Viktor arose and the two gentlemen strode outside and climbed into the awaiting carriage.

Before pulling away, Viktor motioned at the young girl visible through the store front window. "She looks nearly identical to someone I had met in my youth." He wanted his son to know he had not been taken by the girl's undeniable beauty, but that his stare was born more from curiosity. "I felt as though I was looking at a ghost."

Licht nodded. The carriage began to pull away from the curb when another carriage stopped in the road in such a way that their path was blocked. The nobles could hear the coachmen discussing something in mumbled voices. Licht who had keener hearing and was closest to the window was able to make out that the coachman from the other vehicle was trying to apologize for inconveniencing them and explain that they were simply attempting to collect a passenger. The coachman steering the castle's carriage was insisting that this was unacceptable.

"Father," Licht queried, "if you are in no hurry, may I inform our driver that we are willing to wait a few minutes to accommodate those passengers in the carriage to my right?"

"Yes," the King replied. "By all means." The King was grateful for the pause. He was lost in thought and wanted to get another look through the café window before departing.

Licht informed the coachman that they were in no hurry and would willingly wait until the neighboring carriage had safely collected its passengers. The coachman snorted, but only very quietly. He understood the position and power of his employers and would rather not do, or say, anything that might contradict their instructions even if the master was often too benevolent.

An older woman emerged from the carriage and nodded gratitude toward Licht as she scurried into the café. One glance at her face and it was evident she was the mother of the beautiful girl that Licht had just served. While she was much older, the resemblance was uncanny. Licht sighed. The girl that made his heart jump was going to age gracefully and continue to be stunning once he'd reached his father ripe age. His mind wandered back to Patricia, his betrothed. He tried to remember what it was Bruno was always telling him. 'Don't judge a book by its cover.' Yes. Surely Patricia had to be at least quite interesting.

Viktor made an audible gasp, which awoke Licht from his reflections. Viktor was watching the mother hurry the young girl out of the café.

"Father," Licht asked, "is something the matter? Did she forget to pay?"

"No," Viktor responded. "I just…. I thought….". Viktor paused. "Licht, I just recalled that there is some business I must attend to. Would you be able to take a cab back home as I need to use the coach and may be out and about for some time?"

Licht relished the idea of having a bit more time around town outside of the watchful eye of his father. He dutifully left the carriage and walked a few blocks away where he was sure he could locate a carriage for hire.

Viktor, meanwhile, called the coachman into the carriage. "I would like you to follow the carriage to my left but please do so very discretely. And I would appreciate it if you did not mention this to anyone."


	3. Chapter 3

Licht turned the corner and came upon one of the town's most popular squares. The area had a type of old world charm and was a favorite of local and tourists alike. The streets were paved with cobblestones, and a fountain lay in the center of the square. Like many sections of the city, the square was lined with shops and traffic was able to drive around the perimeter, but this area had a particularly large pedestrian area surrounding the fountain and had, therefore, become a popular spot for food carts, street performers, artists and even dancing. On this lovely temperate evening, there were still children running about playing and occasionally climbing into the large fountain to cool off. It was a lively scene and before hiring a carriage and returning to the quiet solitude of the castle, Licht felt he'd like to soak in this atmosphere. He found a bench under a tree that was unoccupied and sat down to take in the sounds, sight and smells. He hadn't been sitting for more than ten minutes when he was approached by Heine.

"Hello Licht," Heine said as he sat in the vacant spot adjacent to the young prince. The prince was quite surprised at the sudden appearance of his tutor.

"Heine?" he asked, "what are you doing in town?"

"I need to pick up a book I ordered from that small shop across the street," Heine explained. Heine reflected for a moment. "Did your father not come to collect you from work? He had mentioned his intention to do so."

"He did, but then remembered he had some pressing business to attend to here in town, so I shall be heading back to the castle separately from my father."

Heine nodded. "If you would like to join me on my errand I should be happy to accompany you on the return trip."

Licht had been enjoying this momentary freedom but he had taken a strong liking to his tutor and did not wish to offend him. He nodded in assent and the two gentleman made their way through the square and across the street to a small book shop.

Once inside Heine excused himself as he needed to locate the shops proprietor which afforded Licht an opportunity to peruse the novels at his leisure. Of course, Licht would not be considered a bookworm. His brother Bruno held that distinction. But he rather enjoyed the occasional novel or book of poetry. He selected a book entitled Don Juan by Lord Byron and became engrossed in the poem such that he failed to notice when a familiar young lady and her mother entered the shop.

Like Heine and his young ward, the mother left her daughter to amuse herself while she sought assistance. Like Licht, the young girl was drawn to the fictional section of the book store. The section was quite large and at first, neither youngster was aware of the other's presence in the store.

Heine, however, was a master observer. He'd heard the chime that went off when the pair had entered the store and thinking perhaps it was an employee returning from a break, he had walked to the front of the store to investigate. Before he'd made it to the store's entrance, he saw someone he had known long ago. She was older now, but her beauty was still as apparent as it had been 20 years earlier. Heine recalled what Licht had said about Viktor having business in town. Heine ducked behind a book shelf away from the woman, and after she had passed, he slipped out the front door carefully avoiding setting off the chimes. He scoured the streets until he found the carriage. His assumption was correct, Viktor was following the woman.

The younger lady continued to search the fiction book shelves for a book she had not yet read. This task was growing more challenging, but after 15 minutes, she found something much more interesting than a new book. She found the waiter from the café. What a puzzle that boy was. She walked up next to him and pretended to look at the books laid out in front of where he was standing. While Licht was once again face to face with the young girl he had met in the café, he remained unaware of his situation as his eyes were averted, soaking in the words of Lord Byron.

It seemed waiting for him to notice her would be an exercise in futility. The girl finally gave in and spoke. "Hello again."

The sweet voice roused Licht from his volume and he immediately looked into the eyes of, what he perceived to be, an angle. He looked behind him wondering if she was addressing someone else. He found they appeared to be alone. A most unseemly situation for two young and unattached members of opposite genders. Yet it was a shop, so perhaps such situations were unavoidable on occasion. Licht set down the book and nodded an acknowledgement to the young lady. He was not normally described as shy. Quite the opposite. But Licht did not trust himself in the presence of this woman.

"You certainly are quite shy for a waiter," the girl said as mirth filled her eyes.

Licht was uncertain what to do. His reserved manner could not be completely attributed to his own attraction. He lived in a society that prescribed certain social rules. It was quite obvious that this lady was a member of the gentry so it was possible they would, at some future date, encounter each other at a royal function. He knew it was imperative outside of work to behave in a manner befitting of his station when interacting with other members of society. Further, it was customary, in such circumstances, to wait to address a lady until after formal introductions were made but he was uncertain that they currently had a common acquaintance and if they did have such an acquaintance, he or she was not currently available to make said introductions. Of course it was also rude to remain silent. Licht natural flirtatious tendencies won out over his years of etiquette training. He gave his most charming smile and said, "I'm not normally shy, but I am also not normally in the presence of such an extraordinary beauty." The girl blushed and Licht asked, "what brings you to this shop. Were you following me?"

The girl blushed further. "No my sister has taken a part time job at this establishment and I've come with my mother to pick her up now that her shift is complete."

"Your sister works?"Licht asked, "isn't that a bit unusual for a daughter of a gentleman?"

"No more unusual than prince that would take a part-time job," she said smiling with a twinkle in her eye. She obviously knew this statement would shock him and she was going to relish his reaction.

Licht stood silently for a few moments. He could not understand how she had known. He was about to ask her when a woman called. "Geneva, where are you? We will be late."

"I must go," she said and before he knew it, she was gone. Licht needed to know how she had figured out who he was. He needed to make sure she would keep his secret. He hurried to the front of the store, but before he had a chance to exit and find her, he was stopped by Heine who appeared to be entering the store. This too puzzled Licht. Hadn't Heine been in the back of the store?

Before having an opportunity to ask any questions, Heine quickly told Licht that something had come up and he would be unable to accompany him to the castle. Without waiting for a reply, Heine left the shop. Before Licht could follow, the shop keeper stopped him. "I have the special order for that young boy you were just speaking to. Will you be paying for it today?"

"Yes, of course," Licht responded and went to the counter to complete the transaction. The young prince now had several mysteries he wished to solve, and he decided it might be best to enlist the help of one of his older brothers.


	4. Chapter 4

Licht was now anxious to return home, but as he walked toward the bookstore's exit, he realized that this shop was his only connection to the mysterious girl. He needed to find out more from the shop keeper. He grabbed the book he'd been reading earlier and brought it to the front counter.

"I nearly forgot," he smiled, "I also need to purchase this."

The shop keeper took the item, looked it over and began writing out a receipt.

"There was a lady helping me earlier. I believe she was one of your employees," Licht mentioned in an offhanded way, "she had made some book recommendations but I'm afraid I've forgotten what they were. Can you go find her so she is able to refresh my memory?"

The shop keeper looked up from the receipt. "You must mean Gretchen," he said, "I'm afraid she just left. She went home right before the little boy you were with left."

Licht put on a look of disappointed. "I work nearby and can come back to ask her on another day, but do you happen to know when she might next be working?"

The shop keeper was used to men asking about Gretchen but this customer seemed a little too young to be attempting to woo her. In addition, he had just paid for two books. Even if his query was simply to revisit Gretchen, this young man was the type of customer he wanted back in his shop. He was a paying customer. "She works next Thursdays from 1:00 to 5:00." He said quietly has he packaged up the purchase and handed it to Licht. Licht smiled and bid the shopkeeper farewell.

The square outside of the shop was as lively as ever but Licht no longer had the desire to people watch. He needed to get back to the castle and develop a strategy. He had no trouble finding a cab, although the coachman took some convincing that this young passenger was really intending to go to the castle.

On the way home, Licht thought about how he should proceed. He would go to the bookstore after work next Thursday and follow Gretchen home. Then he would know how to get in touch with Geneva so he could ask her how she knew his true identity. He would like to speak with Gretchen as well, but if he tried to ask her questions about her sister, she would be more likely to notice him attempting to follow her after work. It would be better to stay off her radar and follow her at a distance. He'd need an alibi to explain his later arrival home and perhaps if he brought a brother with him, the brother could try to find out more about the family from Gretchen while he stayed out of sight. It wasn't much, but it was the best idea he could come up with on how to obtain more information on that front.

But what of his father and Heine's disappearances? Did they really both happen to have unexpected business come up on the same night? And why had his father acted so odd in Geneva's presence? It was unlikely that his father and tutor's behavior had anything to do with the pretty girl. To solve that riddle, maybe he would need to enlist his brother's help in questioning the house staff or digging through offices. Once he got home, the first stop would be his father's office and then Heine's office. He would look at their appointment calendars and see what they had recorded that was so urgent yet so easily overlooked.

When Licht approached the castle, he noted that the doormen had retired for the evening. He was glad. He felt as though they served more as spies to monitor his comings and goings. He opened the large and heavy front doors on his own and slipped into the castle foyer. The area was perhaps too large to be called a foyer, it was nearly a great hall in and of itself. The floors were marble. A double staircase lay opposite the front doors. Heavy chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceilings. The castle was opulent to be sure. But all of the princes had ceased to notice such displays of wealth. They regarded these public areas as necessary to impress visiting dignitaries. They viewed their home as the smaller, cozier rooms located in the back of the castle. This was where they spent most of their days and it was in these spaces they could feel comfortable leaving their items out of order or displaying personal items. As it was so rare for any of the princes to spend time in these formal areas, it surprised both Licht and Leonhard when they happened to cross paths. Leonhard looked relieved.

"Licht, I have been looking for Heine. Have you seen him?" Leonhard asked.

"Yes," Licht responded, "I've just returned from work and I happened to run into him in town. He is actually still there on some business."

Leonhard looked crestfallen. "I just found out my fencing lesson next Thursday has been cancelled and was hoping to schedule an additional tutoring session with him."

Licht considered this news. It seemed his brother was free next Thursday. This would mean he was available to help him with an alibi for being out of the house well after he'd finished his shift, but his brother could also serve to distract Heine and keep him here at the castle. Licht noticed the time and decided, as it was getting late, he would opt for the former option. He would pull Leonhard in on plans starting with having him split the work of searching the two adults' offices.

"Leonhard," Licht ventured, "both father and Heine offered to accompany me home today but with very short notice, and under peculiar circumstances, were reminded of important business that could not wait and had to remain in town." Licht paused to gauge his brother's reaction. Leonhard offered few clues as to his thoughts on this matter so Licht ventured forth. "I am immensely curious what business they were on. Would you be willing to run to Heine's quarters while he is still out and see if he made notes of an appointment for this afternoon." Licht paused waiting for a response. When a response was not instantly forthcoming, he added, "this would afford you an opportunity to see if his schedule remains free next Thursday for an additional tutoring session."

Leonhard had a great deal of respect for Heine and was not entirely comfortable doing anything that would be perceived as a breach of privacy. It would be nice to know that his tutor's schedule was open next Thursday but personal engagements may be recorded in his appointment book and Leonhard did not want to risk encountering an entry detailing one of those. He was very sorry to disappoint Licht but he shook his head to indicate that he was declining his brother's request. "What if I will bring you to the café for a slice of torte and then bring you to go meet one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen after work next Thursday?" Licht offered. Licht was cursing himself. Leonhard was the world's worst lier and now he was hesitant to help. He should have gone to Bruno. He would have had him at bookstore.

Leonhard had a few weaknesses and Licht had just tempted him with two. While one might not see it, Leonhard was very insecure around females but had an undeniable interest in them. To see one that was as lovely as Licht had indicated up close and to have a slice of his favorite dessert was enough temptation to allow him to justify checking up on his tutor. After all, it was getting late and perhaps Heine was in trouble. It was natural to wish to make sure he had not gone exploring in one of the unsavory areas of town. "Yes," Leonhard replied, "I will help you." With that he dashed away, while Licht slipped into his father's study.


	5. Chapter 5

Both princes felt anxiety as they completed their respective tasks. They worried they would get caught and as a result each found themselves quite distracted as they tried to think of plausible excuses for their behavior. Fortunately each office was vacant and both boys were able to scan through the appointment calendars undisturbed. Unfortunately, Leonhard's investigation yielded no results. Heine's calendar showed no scheduled business. He returned to Licht's room to tell him the news. Licht on the other hand discover something interesting when he reviewed their father's calendar. Once he'd found Leonhard, he burst out with his news. "Leonhard! Father's calendar showed no appointments for today."

Leonhard frowned. "Neither did Heine's," he added. "And, Heine is busy on Thursday. Sorry we found out nothing, Licht."

Licht looked at his brother with a touch of surprise. "What do you mean? Of course we found out something. We found out that what ever urgent business father had to do so suddenly wasn't something that had simply slipped his mind. Rather, it was something that he decided needed to be taken care of as we were sitting in that carriage. We also discovered that Heine's appointment was something that was not preplanned and it again arose during the short time we were in the bookstore." For the King in particular, it was very unusual to attend to business without first discussing the details with security. Licht couldn't be sure, but something seemed… interesting. The family of that girl had flustered his father and that family had been in the vicinity when both men suddenly decided there were unscheduled errands that could not wait. Perhaps there was a connection. Either way, Licht was very interested in finding out more about Geneva and her family.

For Licht, Thursday could not arrive soon enough. Leonhard, however, was apprehensive about lying in general and lying to his father and tutor seemed particularly intimidating. Further, while the prospect of meeting a pretty girl his own age sounded fascinating, it also sounded terrifying. What if she laughed at him or didn't even notice him. Leonhard did not have Licht's confidence or charm. Quite often, if he spoke, his insecurities manifested themselves as arrogance. His default was to remain silent, which could make him appear prideful. As the day approached it took Licht's coaxing, prompting and promise of an extra slice of Sacher torte to convince his brother to proceed with the plan.

Leonhard finally spoke to their father to request permission to attend the fencing championships on Thursday. He said he wanted to witness his instructor compete. The presentation of his request should have made Viktor suspicious, but Viktor had been distracted since the night he'd run that unexpected errand. After granting permission to Leonhard, Licht asked if he might accompany his brother in order to determine if he too held an interest in the sport. Licht's request seemed wholly sincere and was also easily granted. Thus it was arranged that Leonhard would collect Licht at the end of his shift on Thursday and the boys would have dinner in town before returning to the castle. Fortunately, Leonhard knew another one of his fencing instructor's students and Leonhard would be able to find out the results of the competition on Friday, should either boy be asked for an account of the event.

Leonhard arrived at the café on Thursday roughly 20 minutes before his brother's shift was ending. He had never before been to his brother's place of work. When he entered the café he made quite the impression. Licht was indeed popular, but Leonhard was the white lily of Glanzreich for a reason. His beauty was breath taking. Normally Leonhard would have reacted to the attention in the same manner he reacted to the expectation of meeting this girl – with a mixture of fear and excitement - but Licht did not want to waste any time waiting for his brother to finish eating two slices of cake so he had the first slice in-route when he saw Leonhard approach the café through the front windows. Leonhard had the first slice of cake in hand before he even reached a table and he was so distracted by the scrumptious looking slice of Sacher torte he didn't notice all the café patrons watching him in awe. Leonhard carried the confection to a corner table and indulged himself in relative privacy.

Licht's manager could tell that Licht was on edge. He was not his normal cool and collected self. An opportunity for overtime presented itself when a large party arrived toward the end of the boy's shift, but the Manager sensed that Licht wanted to be elsewhere so he didn't bother to offer him the shift. Curiosity was getting the better of him and this interest piqued when he saw the boy's brother arrive.

"Licht, have you got big plans for after work?" The manager asked in a jovial manner.

"Yes," Licht responded with his practiced excuse in mind, "my brother is taking me to view the fencing championships in town this evening."

Licht's manager was rather surprised. It so happened his own son was competing in this tournament and he, himself would be leaving in 15 minutes for the same reason. "Well son, you are in luck," he beamed at Licht, "I am going there as well and will deliver you and your brother myself!" He could tell the chap had been excited all afternoon and was pleased to be able to make this event easier for the boys.

Licht forced a smile and his mind began turning. "Thank you, Sir," he said to shake his boss's attention while he pondered what to do. He had less than 15 minutes to come up with an excuse. Leonhard was such an awful lier, but Licht suspected that his manager would make fewer inquires if the excuse came from Leonhard. Licht went over to his brother's table with the second slice of cake in hand. He bent down and whispered to his brother that he was about to lie to his boss and would need Leonhard to play along. Leonhard looked as though he was about to choke. This whole situation was making him so uncomfortable but he looked at his empty plate and realized he'd already consumed half of his payment. After assurances that he would not need to speak, Licht secured a hesitant acquiescence.

Licht returned to his manager and apologized saying he would need to decline his kind offer. Licht explained that his brother had just told him that he'd already made arrangements to travel to the competition with a group of friends. The manager was understanding. After all, he had once been young and he remembered how much fun it had been doing things with a group of friends. It wasn't surprise then when Licht grabbed Leonhard and bolted out the door as soon as Licht's shift had ended.

Licht had initially intended to sit in the square across from the bookstore and wait for Gretchen to leave work before following her home. He felt that watching her from a distance would minimize the likelihood that he'd be noticed. If he found out where Gretchen lived, he'd know where Geneva lived. Then it would just be a few more steps before he could arrange another chance encounter with the younger sister where, he hoped, he could try to get some answers. The fact that Licht now knew his manager would likely pass by the square on his way to the competition, Licht felt he needed to reconsider this plan. He was more concerned with being caught in a lie in front of his manager than being observed at the bookstore by Gretchen. Even if she noticed him in the shop, he could still follow her home if he was careful. They had to move quickly though. Once he had left the café, Licht did not want to be seen by his manager… not in the square, not walking along the street without being surrounded by a group of boys and not slipping into the bookstore. They had a five minute lead, or so, before the manager would leave the café and he wanted to be out of sight within that five minute window.

It was for this reason Licht practically dragged Leonhard to the bookstore. Leonhard was naturally much faster than his brother's, but he did not know the way to get to the store and Licht didn't stop to explain why they should be hurrying. Once inside the shop, Leonhard did indeed notice a beautiful woman who appeared to be putting books back in order, but she was definitely a woman and not a girl near his own age. In fact, she looked about a year or so older than his brother Eins. He began to walk toward her when Licht grabbed his hand pulling him into an unoccupied isle.

"What are you doing?" Licht hissed. Leonhard was confused. He thought the purpose was to speak with this girl. Licht could read the expression and hastily added, "that's the sister of the girl we're looking for. We need to stay out of sight so we can follow the her home and find out where the girl lives." Leonhard nodded. He picked up a book on sports off the shelf and found a chair in the corner where he could read. He didn't generally care for reading, but he admired Bruno and imagined that this is what he'd do in this situation. Besides the books had a lot of pictures so he could review proper positions for various athletic maneuvers.

Fifteen minutes passed and the boys heard the front door ring to indicate another customer had entered the store. A moment later both boys frozen when they heard their father's voice ask Gretchen for advise on a good book on the politics of a neighboring kingdom. Licht carefully removed a book from the shelf so he could peak through the stacks to see if his ears had deceived him. They hadn't. He caught his brother's eye and shook his head in a foreboding manner to indicate their precarious situation. Leonhard, who was light on his feet, stealthily joined Licht. Leonhard had mastered a variety of sports and capture the flag was no exception. He would help guide his team of two to victory in invading their father's notice. He took Licht by the hand and expertly led him to another room of the book store far from where their father stood. As they ducked behind a row of books, Leonhard stopped abruptly. Before him stood a perfect angle. It was Geneva.

She looked up to see the young prince partially hidden behind another young man. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were following me," she said to Licht while smiling.


	6. Chapter 6

Licht shot Geneva a look to silence her. Right now, being caught by his father was in the forefront of his mind. He hadn't stopped to consider that the rest of his plans appeared to be crumbling apart. Geneva could tell that Licht was behaving very differently than the charming, suave boy that she'd met last week and this shift of personality did have the intended effect of silencing her. Leonhard, who would normally be working out a tactile plan for evading capture, had lost all semblance of a strategic mind as he continued to gaze on Geneva's perfection. Licht motioned his head toward the cash register, an indication that a glance in that direction might clarify some of the questions beginning to reveal themselves on her features. Geneva peaked around the corner and saw her sister engaged in a conversation that was with an older gentleman that had to be Licht's father. The resemblance was uncanny.

Geneva wondered if her sister recognized that the man before her was the King. The royal family led an extraordinarily private life. The current generation avoided any statues or prints that bore their resemblances. Money contained images of distant kings or queens but the genetics that cursed through the von Glanzreich veins was strong and even after multiple generations a careful observer should have been able to make the connection. Especially, thought Geneva, if the King displayed the same level of manners, etiquette, and confidence his son had displayed during their last encounter. You can take the royals out of the palace, she thought, but you can't take the royal out of the men. With this group, Geneva could have spotted one even if he were dressed in rags. Gretchen, however, was not nearly as observant.

Had Grethen had the insight her sister possessed, she might have noticed that, while she bore a striking resemblance to her mother, her own features differed slightly from those of her younger sister and father. Gretchen had crystal blue eyes that were shaped almost like those of a cat. Her chin came to a pronounced point. Geneva returned to the two boys hiding behind the stacks. Geneva looked at the two boys and noted that those same eyes and that same chin were prominent on Leonhard as well as Licht. She felt a pang of jealousy. It stung to know that Gretchen likely had a whole houseful of siblings, while she herself had only her dear sister to turn to. But, for now at least, Gretchen knew nothing of her good fortune and it was not Geneva's place to share with her the obvious. Geneva did feel some responsibility to ensure her older sister was given ample opportunity to put the puzzle pieces together which was why she had left sufficient hints for Licht to entice him back to her sister's place of employment. Geneva had not anticipated the King's interference with her plans. She had hoped the King would remain blissfully unaware and remain absent from her family's lives. In particular, Geneva wanted to keep that man away from her mother and sister. Based on the King's sudden appearance at this exact shop, it was pretty clear that that fantasy would not be realized. Regardless of the King's agenda, Geneva believed it was right and fair that Gretchen be allowed to meet and grow to know the von Glanzreich princes and princess. If Geneva hoped to actually facilitate a face to face meeting between her sister and the royal princes she'd coaxed out of the palace, it would behoove her to ensure these two brothers were not immediately discovered.

In a low voice she said, "it would appear that your father did not accompany you on this outing." The embarrassed blushes coupled with the downcast eyes erased any doubt the girl had regarding this assumption. Geneva had chanced to pick up a brief portion of the conversation between her sister and the King had shared. He was looking for a book on foreign affairs. Of course, she, as well as the two princes, were standing in the isle used to shelves books on this topic. Geneva quietly told the boys that their father would be coming this direction shortly but she would stall him long enough to give them time to escape through the back door. If they waited in the alley, she would come around within ten minutes to help them evade notice by the servant that would be waiting in a carriage for the King.

Gretchen was about to lead the customer to the appropriate section, when her sister came upon them and without her usual good manners, interrupted the conversation. "Gretchen," Geneva said as her voice looked stricken, "I must speak to you privately for a moment."

Gretchen looked at her sister with a look of concern and annoyance. "Is this something that could possibly wait until I've helped this gentleman locate the book he is interested in?" Gretchen had fought hard with her family to be allowed this part time position. It wasn't becoming of someone of her rank and social class to hold a position for pay and the fact she was a woman made her request all the more scandalous. Her father was firmly against her request but her mother had managed to convince him by assuring him that even society's most elite occasionally took brief respites by playing the part of a commoner. Gretchen's mother had been close to the royal family as a young adult and husband knew that she was better educated about the underworkings within the social class system. Gretchen had worked hard to be allowed this job and she would never forgive her younger sister if her interference just now led to a reprimand by her employer.

Gretchen briefly glanced at the clock. The boys needed a bit more time. She shook her head 'no' and turned to the King. "Sir," she said, "I humbly apologize for my very rude intrusion, but would it be possible for me to borrow my sister for two minutes while you peruse the collection of bargain books over there?" She pointed to a shelf near the front of the store. If the King would head in that direction, his view to the path the boys should be on would be marred. "I saw an excellent book on foreign politics for sale." Geneva smiled sweetly and Viktor, as a gentleman, had no alternative other than a polite bow and a swift departure toward the bargain books.

Once Viktor was out of hearing range, Gretchen looked at her younger sister. "This had better be good," she said.

Geneva frowned and with much embarrassment whispered in her sister's ear that she believed she had been inflicted with eve's curse.

Gretchen looked horrified. She hurried away to locate her employer and was back far more quickly than Geneva had anticipated. Gretchen grabbed her sister's hand and dragged her out of the store.

The shop keeper approached Viktor and explained that his assistant had an unexpected family emergency, but he was more than happy to provide assistance.

The boys waited in the back alley but after an hour they came to the conclusion that Geneva would not be able to join them after all. Leonhard peaked his head to survey the square and had found his father's carriage had long departed. The boys returned home having no more answers today than they had last week.

Geneva accompanied her sister home and professed a false alarm. Gretchen appeared upset at her sister's mistake, but Geneva, too focused on figuring out how to proceed with her plans, failed to listen to her sister's rantings.

Today had not gone according to anyone's plans.


	7. Chapter 7

Geneva went to her room and locked the door. She walked to her desk to retrieve her slate and slate pencil, before flopping down on her large feather bed. Sitting with her legs crossed, she brought the chalk to her board and, with loops and swirls, wrote "Geneva von Glanzreich". She erased it and wrote "Mrs. Geneva von Glanzreich". Again she erased it and tried out "Mrs. von Glanzreich". She replaced the dot in the i with a little heart and drew a few more hearts around it, just for good measure. Satisfied with the results, she hugged the slate to her chest and fell backwards. Staring up at her canopy, she daydreamed of what life would be like if she married into the royal family.

Geneva had first seen the family when she was five. She had been returning from the park. The Royal family had come to the village as part of the country's Independence Day celebration. That was when she had seen him and had fallen in love. She stood, mesmerized, until Gretchen came up from behind her and jerked her away.

"You know Mother does not care for the royal family. She would be very angry if she knew you were watching that display," her elder sister snapped.

"I do not see how Mother can have an opinion on the entire family. She worked for the old king. None of the princes or the princesses were even born when she worked at the castle," Geneva whined. Her pleas fell on deaf ears. As she was dragged from the square, she looked over her shoulder, memorizing the boy's features, knowing it would likely be the last time she ever laid eyes on him.

Nine years had passed and the memory had all but faded. She was walking along an unfamiliar side street as she made her way to the book shop where her sister worked. She had read nearly every book in the store and her sister would not be released for another half an hour. She had taken this new path to kill time. A door swung open a few yards in front of her and out walked a boy with golden hair. Her mind raced. This feature — it was so familiar. He turned to say goodbye to someone inside and she knew, those features belonged to a von Glanzreich. But why was he dressed… like a waiter? And the person he said goodbye to… he had to know him well. That exchange had been casual and familiar. She followed the prince and watched as he carefully slipped into a hidden alley before entering a coach. It was the royal coach. All doubt erased, she swore she would return the next day, and the day after that, for as long as it might take. He would be back to this café, and when he came next, she would be ready.

As Geneva lay in her room imagine a bright, fulfilling future with a young prince, Viktor sat in his study remembering a sad and painful past with a beautiful servant. Viktor had been nineteen when he first met Amalie. He had grown accustomed to seeing beautiful women so it was not her striking appearance that had attracted him. No. It was something else entirely.

He had returned to his room earlier than normal. His lessons for the day had been easily mastered, and Heine would not be able to meet, so he decided to catch up on his sleep. As he approached his room, he could not help but hear the angry screech. "How can he call himself a prince? More like a pig! This room was cleaned yesterday, yet it looks as though it has been through a tornado. How can one boy create this amount of mess so quickly?"

Viktor smiled in amusement and peaked into his room. Her back was turned to him, and she continued to bend over collecting dishes, clothes, and various items at an incredibly rapid pace, the whole while ranting to herself … about him!

He stepped further into the room and cleared his throat. Amalie stopped what she was doing and stood, frozen.

"Please," Viktor said in a smooth voice, "don't stop on my account. I have it on good authority, the prince is a slob and if you delay, you may end up requiring a full day to fix this room."

She spun around, confirming that the person behind her was indeed the very same man that occupied this chamber. He waited, curious if she would run from the room without a word, or would begin to beg his forgiveness. To his shock and dismay, she did neither.

"You! You are the person responsible for this filth?" Her eyes lit with fire. She picked up the remains of a candy bar he had dropped last night after having consumed about half. She waived the melted article in his face. "This is trash! It goes in a trash can. Do you drop your trash on the street when you are outside? No! You would be fined. Why do you think it is okay to litter in your home? Is it because you think I have nothing else to do? Do you think I enjoy cleaning up after a thoughtless, lazy, spoiled boy?"

Viktor's face grew red with shame. Never before had he been spoken to in this manner. No one had ever questioned him or corrected him.

"You need to go over there, this instant, and pick up all those clothes you dropped randomly!" Amalie commanded.

Viktor nodded and hurried to where she pointed. That day, he did not get his nap. Instead he received a lesson in humility.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It had been two weeks. Viktor had kept his room tidy. He had even made the bed. He would study late into the evenings so he could complete lessons early the following day. Then he would rush back to his room to catch Amalie before she had finished cleaning. He had tried starting conversations. He had brought gifts. He had attempted to act aloof. All of his efforts had been of no avail. Amalie had been the first woman not to care that he was a prince. Unfortunately, she did not seem to care about him at all.

Twenty minutes had passed. Like every other day over the past two weeks, Viktor had sat and watched Amalie while she went about her work as if he were not even there.

"Amalie," he said. Frustration caused him draw the name out, making her name sound more like a wail.

She turned to look at him. Her eyes were like steel. "What?" she asked.

"Why don't you talk to me? Haven't you noticed? I have been keeping my room tidy."

"You think you are doing me a great favor keeping your room tidy?" she snapped. "You act as if you have done my job for me, when in reality all you have done is started living like a normal young-adult should. You know that just because you throw away your trash does not mean I have hours to now entertain you, right?"

Actually, she had just said exactly what he thought. "But," he began, looking a little baffled. "It takes me an hour to do all that. Wouldn't that free up an hour of your time? I mean, what exactly is left for you to clean?"

Immediately, he wished he could open up his mouth and stuff the words back inside. Pure rage erupted from her. Her face grew red, her hands balled into fists, her eyes narrowed. "It takes you an hour because you're slow and lazy. And when you're done, I still need to sweep, dust, clean the ash out of the fireplaces, change the sheets, clean the windows, and a dozen other things. Your efforts save me ten minutes at most, which means I can polish the silver once every ten days rather than once every twelve days." She swiftly turned and collected the trash, mumbling something about how princes do no work at all.

Viktor brought his hand to his face. he rested his chin on his thumb. "But if it only takes you ten minutes to tidy my room, why should I spend an hour on it, especially if you do not use that ten minutes to spend time with me?"

Amalie spun around, and Viktor said a silent prayer thanking God she was on the other side of the room. "You are nineteen years old, are you not?" she demanded.

Fear had robbed him of his voice, so Viktor nodded.

"But you still need a nanny to teach you basic life skills!" she shouted as she flew out the door leaving a stunned prince behind.

Viktor sat in silence for several minutes, unsure what he should do. Then, brilliance struck. He may not know how to get her to speak to him, but Heine would. He grabbed his coat and set off.

(Break)

Heine listened to Viktor's tale of woe with patience and amusement. Once the prince had completed finished explaining his struggles, Heine asked, "What is your objective with this girl?"

"I want to get to know her. She doesn't treat me like I'm special. She sees my faults and calls me on them. I want her too see my attributes and get her praise."

Heine studied his friend carefully. "You are engaged, Viktor. You have been since you were a child. You have a duty to your country and family. If it is friendship you seek, I can help you, but if you're looking for more, you know it will only lead to heartache."

(Break)

Viktor sat outside the café where Licht worked. The memory of that day, so many years ago, played in his mind. How right Heine had been. How foolish his young heart was. Yet, if he had the choice to do it differently, he could not change a thing. The day of their first kiss, the first time she had said she loved him, the many wonderful memories — they had all been worth the years of anguish and pain. How foolish he was. He had thought that after all this time, his heart had mended. But seeing her the other day, he knew he had been lying to himself.

And here he was, dropped his son off at work hoping it might once again lead to a chance encounter. Had he really stooped so low? To use his own child as a means to once again see her? No, he told himself. He was not doing this because of Amalie. He was doing this because of the girl in the book store, her eldest daughter. Perhaps, his eldest daughter.

Viktor's reflections were interrupted by a sharp rap on the window of his coach. He nearly jumped when he heard it. He looked out and saw no one. On the verge of turning his back on the window, he saw a little fist reach up and knock again. He pressed his nose to the glass and looked down. There, just out of sight was his little friend, Heine. He opened the door to the coach and invited him in.

"Heine! What a pleasant surprise. What brings you out this afternoon."

Heine's face showed none of the friendliness of Viktor's. "I saw you, Viktor. Outside the bookstore. You let her go. You have no right to re-enter her life."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Viktor studied Heine for a long while. His expression was unreadable, but the hurt in his voice was not. "You of all people should know that I did not let her go by choice."

Heine shook his head. "That does not matter any longer. You have six children and a wife. You have a kingdom to lead and a reputation to protect. You cannot bring her back into your life. There is no place for her. And it would be unfair of you to interfere with the new life she has created for herself."

Viktor looked away. "But the child. Did you see her? She could be mine."

"I have, and she likely is yours," Heine conceded. "But she is a child no more and she does not know you as her father."

Viktor's look of pain was nearly enough to silence Heine, but he had a duty. Not only to protect Viktor, but to keep him from hurting others. Viktor averted his eyes and stared at this feet. "What good would you do trying to assert yourself as her father?" he asked. "You could not officially recognize her as your own. That would cause her pain. And what would Eins think? Would you tell him he was conceived in a loveless marriage?"

"But I have learned to love his mother now," Viktor shouted looking up.

"All the more reason to leave the past in the past," Heine said.

Viktor glared at Heine and took ahold of the open carriage door. "Please, step back," he said to his old friend. "I need to be alone. I need some time to think."

Heine retreated and Viktor closed the door before rapping on the roof to notify his driver to pull away. The driver had heard some of the king's words during the heated exchange and knew he was not ready to return to the palace. He decided to take his passenger along a path outside town which was both secluded and beautiful. Fall had just begun and with the cold chill in the air, the leaves had turned into a vivid rainbow of colors. The path they journey was lined with such trees. The beauty and wonder of nature would have calmed the most troubled of hearts but Viktor took no notice. Not once did he look outside the window. Instead his eyes remained closed as he replayed every memory and feature of his first love.

Maria was not obvious to the rumors of her betrothed, that swirled around the ballrooms and hallways. They had become engaged when she was but three. She had read tales of princes and princesses and believed that when they laid eyes on each other for the first time, they would magically fall in love and live happily ever after. They did not officially meet until she was fourteen, but she had seen him once before from afar and had decided he was indeed very handsome. Tales of his bravery and kindness made her heart grown fonder and when they did have their first encounter, she did find herself head over heels in love.

The same could not be said for Viktor. Maria had a reputation as a shy but attractive princess. While Viktor had no strong objection to the girl in particular he did resent being forced to wed. With a far greater force he took umbrage with the fact he would not be permitted to select his bride himself. His parents had tried to reason with him. They had explained that with great power came responsibility. He must use his marriage to further political allegiances and strengthen their nation. As the future King, this was his duty. But Viktor had been an only child and had been over indulged. In truth, he was a bit selfish. Despite their pleas, Viktor firmly believed he should be permitted to marry someone that would secure his own happiness.

Viktor's parents intended their son to marry once he had reached his twenty-sixth birthday, but by the time he had reached age twenty-one, the rumors had grown too strong to ignore. He was said to have a beautiful mistress who, to whom he was madly in love. His parents may have been willing to ignore the follies of youth, but then they began receiving reports that their son was attempting to secure passage overseas. It was speculated that he was preparing to run off with this woman, abandoning his responsibilities and his kingdom in the process. Swiftly, they arranged to expedite the union with his intended. The wedding had all happened so quickly, Viktor did not even fully comprehend what had happened. He had gone to a small, informal dinner that was set up to greet the visiting princess, and two hours later he found himself agreeing to be her husband. Never before had he seen a marriage occur in that fashion and he was uncertain if it was even legitimate. His confusion was further compounded when things promptly returned to normal and he was told he could wait until his twenty-sixth birthday to take possession of his wife.

Eight months passed before Amalie began hearing rumors that Viktor had married. She ignore them at first, but a few months later, when she mentioned the silly gossip to Viktor his face went completely white. He insisted it had been something he had eaten for lunch, but his actions left her in doubt. It was not until she discovered she was pregnant that she decided she needed to know the truth. If Viktor could not marry her, if he had already taken a wife, she would need to find someone who could before she began to show. She could not let her baby be a bastard. She went to Heine and confided in him. He revealed that Viktor was, in fact, married and that he was expected to be a husband upon his twenty-sixth birthday. A,Alice gave herself one night to cry and mourn. Then she pulled herself together. She had to show her best side if she hoped to fearful within the month.


End file.
